New Delhi:  Ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Giriraj Singh who will contest the parliamentary election from Bihar's Begusarai constituency, landed into trouble when on Saturday during a campaign he was seen sharing the stage with Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case accused and former minister of Bihar Manju Verma.


Verma, who had stepped down as the social welfare minister in August last year, following allegations of close links between her husband and Brajesh Thakur - the prime accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal - was granted bail in the case lodged at the Cheria Bariyarpur police station of Begusarai district by the Patna High Court earlier this month.

Singh was addressing  NDA leaders and workers through a rally in Begusarai yesterday when Verma was spotted sharing the dais with the minister.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Singh trained his guns at Jignesh Mevani, who has been canvassing for his CPI rival Kanhaiya Kumar in Begusarai, blaming the young Dalit leader from Gujarat for the attacks on migrants from Bihar in the western state last year. An indignant Mevani hit back saying he would sue the BJP leader for defamation and alleged that in the backdrop of the "silence" of the ruling BJP in Gujarat, during the anti-migrant violence, Girirajs outbursts were tantamount to "ulta chor kotwal ko daante" (the thief reprimanding the policeman).

The polling in Begusarai is scheduled in the fourth phase of elections and the filing of nominations will commence on April 2 while voting will take place on April 29.

(With inputs from PTI)